Ill 

111 




^ i /of 



OF THE 
BY 

E H. Earb, HI I., 

ROCHESTER, N . Y. 



A Thrilling and Accurate Account of the Siege of 1862. In 
Fact Well Posted Survivors Insist that It Is the Most 
Complete Account of the Outbreak Ever Written. 



Published Under the Direction of the Renville County Pioneers 
Society by Asa M. Wallace, Fairfax, Minnesota. 



PRICE 25 CENTS PER COPY. 



FAIRFAX STANDARD PRINT 





7 



J 



OF THE 



§>wm JtuMatt 
0ivLBBMt? in XBBZ. 



BY 



E 3$. fctrl*. M. S., 

ROCHESTER. N. Y. 



A Thrilling and Accurate Account of the Siege of 1862. In 
Fact Well Posted Survivors Insist that It Is the Most 
Complete Account of the Outbreak Ever Written. 



Published Under the Direction of the Renville County Pioneers 
Society by Asa M. Wallace, Fairfax, Minnesota. 



PRICE 25 CENTS PER COPY. 



FAIRFAX STANDARD PRINT 



At the outbreak of the Sioux Indians ih Minnesota in 
1862, the settlement on the Beaver Creek, Renville County, 
besides my father's family, consisted, so far as I know, of 
Mr. Wichman and family; Mr. Schmidt and family; Mr. 
Henderson, wife and two little girls about one and three years 
old; David Carrothers, wife and three children, the youngest 
a baby; James Carrothers and wife and two children;. David 
Hunter; and a young man named John Doyle. I presume 
that was his name, though being Irish, he pronounced it Dial. 
^Farther down the creek were other settlers, but I did not be- 
come acquainted with them. 

The Beaver Creek, like all other water courses in Minne* 
sota, runs in a valley much lower than the prairie land, the 
bottoms and sides of the bluffs being quite thickly timbered. 
The course is about north and south and the creek empties into 
the Minnesota river about two miles from our location. 

About three miles east from Beaver Creek is the Birch 

Coolie Creek and still farther east, about eighteen miles distant, 

was Fort Ridgley. West of Beaver Creek, about two and 

one-half or three miles is another creek, emptying into the 

" Minnesota River, on which was a settlement of Swedes. The 

. ; Redwood Agency was distant about six miles and was in 

v m plain view from our house. At the agency were stores, black- 

N « smith shop, saw mill, and so forth. The government main- 
ly • 

> -plained a physician who treated the Indians and furnished 
medicines to them without cost, a head farmer to teach them 
how to run a farm, a sawyer, school teachers and so forth. 



ACC. 



with whom I became acquainted later. The missionary, a 
Mr. Williamson, whose father had also spent a life time as 
missionary among the Indians, was born and reared there and 
lived near the agency. 

Of course the greatest need after reaching the settlement, 
was a house, and father lost no time in procuring lumber at 
the agency in exchange for a cow. The lumber was cotton- 
wood and green, but it answered the need as frame and 
covering boards. As soon as it was enclosed, even before it 
was shingled, we moved into the new house, which consisted of 
two rooms, one downstairs and one upstairs. 

We "broke ' several acres of ground and planted it to 
corn, not expecting any crop except stalks which would serve 
as fodder for cattle during the winter. Father also went to 
^t. Peters, sixty miles, and purchased a mowing machine with 
which I began haying. The country has numerous swales or 
low, wet places, come of them having water three or four feet 
deep in the center. The ordinary prairie grass was not tall 
enough for hay, but around the borders of the swales where 
the ground was damp the grass grew to a good height, and 
farther in, the swale was covered with cat-tail and other flag 
higher than a man's head. It was in the grass about these 
swales that I began the work of making hay for winter and 
must have secured thirty or forty tons before being obliged to 
abandon it. 

The cattle and sheep ran at large during the day but were 
driven home and kept in yards enclosed by rail fence at night. 
The horses were always turned loose when not at work and 
they with others belonging to the other settlers formed a herd 
of about twenty which always ran free day and night unless 
at work. 

On Sundays there was generally, or, at least, frequently, 
preaching by the missionary, Mr. Williamson, the church 
being Mr. Henderson's front yard. The pulpit was wholly 



imaginary, and for pews we used chairs, boxes, blocks of 
wood, or, when all else failed, the ground. The music was 
congregational. Father was a powerful bass singer and played 
the soprano on the violin. Mr. Williamson also sang and if 
I remember rightly, Mrs. Henderson had a sweet soprano 
voice. While the singing was not the best it certainly was 
not the worst I ever heard. 

The six working days of the week were all busy ones 
for us and evening generally found us tired. Still we three 
older boys with our violins and sometimes Julia to play an 
accompaniment on the melodeon would furnish what, for those 
times, was pretty good music. Not one of us deserved to be 
called a violinist, but we certainly were fiddlers and in this 
capacity we spent nearly every evening until bed time. 

The sight of Indians was no more uncommon than that of 
whites for they visited us every day in pairs and groups, and 
the prairie was dotted here and there with parties hunting a 
bulbous root which they called "teepson" and used for food. 
It was called wild turnip by the whites. The plant was but 
a few inches high and had but one slender, straight root which 
* extended into the ground three or four inches, where the bulb 
was formed and below this was the tap root and perhaps other 
smaller roots. The bulb was from one to two and one-half or 
three inches long and the largest were perhaps one and one- 
half inches in diameter. It was enclosed in a rind much like 
that of the turnip, which, when peeled off, left the bulb white 
and firm with no particular flavor, if I remember rightly. If left 
to dry, in a few days the pulp became almost as hard as bone. 
I have dug and eaten many of these bulbs fresh and raw, and 
always imagined that they would be quite agreeable if ground 
up and used to thicken a soup or stew. 

The Indians dug them by means of sapling two and one- 
half or three inches in diameter and four or five feet long. 
This was sharpened at one end, the sharpening being all done 



on one side, giving the stick a sled runner shape. To use it 
the Indian would strike the sharpened end into the ground two 
or three inches from the plant, withdrawing and striking again 
in the same place, until with two or three strokes the point of 
the stick was forced under the bulb, when, by pressing the top 
end of the stick down, the bulb was brought to the surface. 

The annual annuities were due in June, but owing to the 
difficulty in procuring gold or silver they had not yet been paid, 
and the Indians were all collected at the agency awaiting the 
day of payment. They were not well supplied with provisions, 
so were obliged to hunt such small game and birds as the 
country afforded, dig teepson, fish, and when able to buy beef 
cattle from the settlers, leaving their guns in pawn as security. 
So our visitors were numerous. As I ,had quite, a fancy to be 
able to talk their language I improved every opportunity for 
learning it. Many of them seemed to. understand my desire 
and were willing to help me, so that in the few weeks we were 
there I acquired the language sufficiently well to be able to un- 
derstand them when they talked to me and to make myself 
understood, but when they talked to each other it was mostly 
"Greek" to me. 

Father sold two head of cattle to them. For the first one 
he received two double barreled shot guns as security, and for 
the second the gun of the head chief, Little Crow. This sale 
was made on Friday, August 15, only three days before the 
outbreak. Little Crow, with quite a party of Indians and ac- 
companied by Mr. Robertson, a one-eighth breed, as inter- 
preter, came and selected the steer, agreed to the price asked, 
and offered two guns belonging to his Indians as security. But 
father demanded Little Crow's own gun, a double barreled 
shot gun with a yellow stock. I heard afterwards that the 
original stock had been broken and this one was the work of an 
Indian who had painted it a bright yellow. It was a splendid 
gun and was reluctantly left as a pawn, and not, until father 



had written out and signed an agreement for its return on re- 
ceiving the stated sum of money. 

Little Crow was the leading or head chief of the Sioux. 
He was tall, spare, with a nose like a hawk's bill, and sharp, 
piercing, black eyes. He was by no means good looking. 
He was known as the orator. of the Sioux and had unbounded 
influence over the Indians who always appeared very deferen- 
tial to him.* Little Crow's wrists were both very much de- 
formed, having been broken, one, it was stated, in a fight 
with his brother, the other in a fight with Chippewa Indians. 
Having been badly treated, they were very crooked. It was 
this fact that enabled a hunter afterward to identify his body. 

There was an old Indian who seemed particularly good 
natured who visited us often, and with less than the usual 
reserve in his manner. Consequently we had a particular 
liking for him. He was called old Beaver Creek. I never 
heard what his real name was. 

So the few weeks of our stay passed rapidly and pleas- 
antly away. No disturbing incident occurred except the severe 
sickness of Mrs. Henderson, which must have begun about 
August 1 . Father had quite a knowledge of medicines and 



NOTE B. — In July, 1907, I met an Indian, Geo. Crooks, at 
Morton, who told me the following story, which he had heard from 
his father: Little Crow and his brother were present at the 
marriage of his (Geo. Crooks') father and that Little Crow's 
brother became intoxicated and attacked Little Crow with his 
gun. As he raised his gun to shoot Little Crow placed his fore- 
arms together in a vertical position before his face, thus forming 
a shield and thus received the discharge in his arms instead of 
the head or neck, which probably would have been fatal. 

In St. T^aul Museum of the Historical Society I saw the skull, 
scalp and both bones of one forearm and one of the bones (the 
ulna) of the other forearm. The two bones of one arm had been 
broken and, not being properly splinted, the broken ends had 
lapped by each other at least one inch and had healed in this 
position. This would cause a great deformity in the arm. The 
ulna of the other arm, however, was perfect, not having been 
broken, but I distinctly remember that both arms were broken, so 
it must be that the radius of this arm was broken and is perhaps 
now held somewhere as a relic. I did not have time to inquire 
about it. 

The hair was black and fine and silky, unlike the usual coarse 
black hair of the Indian. This gives rise to the query, was not 
Tittle Crow of mixed blood? I have never heard even the sug- 
epstinn that he was. yet it seems very probable. 



had taken along a good supply of medicine for family use, 
not expecting to be called on to treat any others. But as there 
was no physician within a good many miles," except the govern- 
ment physician, Dr. Humphrey, at the agency, Mr. Henderson 
asked father to treat his wife, which father- consented to do, 
but the case rapidly became dangerous so father requested 
that Dr. Humphrey be called in consultation. This was done 
and he came. By appointment he was to visit her again on 
Monday, August 1 8. The day came, but physician did not 
see his patient. It was the last day on earth for them both. 

Sunday evening^ August 1 7, we boys played unusually 
late in the evening and our music seemed better than ever. 
Just before retiring Radnor stepped to the door for a moment 
and, after listening, said, "How plainly we hear t^e Indian 
drums." Chalon and I went to the door and distinctly r.eard 
them. This was something unusual, yet it did not disturb us. 
And so we went to: bed and to sleep. 

The next morning, Monday, the 18th, father rose very 
early and went on the roof to finish shingling. On going out, 
he noticed three Indians in a fence corner of the cow yard. 
This was very strange, yet it excited no fear. When called 
to breakfast, father came down from the roof and, out of 
curiosity, went to the Indians and asked them why they were 
there. They told him something about Chippewa Indians, 
but he learned but little from them, so came in and we sat 
down to breakfast. While we were eating one of the Indians, 
a magnificent specimen, over six feet tall, came in dressed in 
a breech cloth and covered with war paint. He asked father 
for our two rifles, which, of course, were refused. They hung 
by straps to the joists overhead and a bed stood directly below 
them. The Indian seemed determined to have them and 
stepped on to the bed as though he were going to reach the 
rifles. At that father rose and said "no" with a decided 
shake of his head and a look in his eyes which convinced the 



Indian that father meant all that he said. The Indian turned 
about and left the house, apparently much excited and angry. 

After breakfast we noticed several Indians trying to catch 
the herd of horses, but they, being afraid of the Indians, 
wouldn't be caught. Father went to the three Indians and 
asked why the other Indians were trying to catch our horses. 
They replied that some Chippewa Indians had killed some 
Sioux the night before and they wanted the horses to pursue 
them. Then father told the boys to go and find our horses 
and bring them home. Accordingly Chalon and Radnor went 
east thinking to find them on the prairie where they usually 
were, while I went down the creek. 

At Hunter's I found that the Indians had driven the 
horses into a corner formed by a yard fence and a field fence. 
The Indians had formed a line across the opening and by 
gradually closing in hoped to capture the horses. I saw at 
once that our horses were not in the herd so I was some- 
what disinterested, but concluded to watch the proceedings. 
As the Indians closed in the horses became frightened, and 
finally one bolder than the rest made a dash and went through 
the line, followed by all the others. The Indians immediately 
went after them and soon had them back in the same corner, 
using the same tactics with the same result. Again they 
brought them in. This time they asked me to catch the horses 
for them. I said they were not mine and I couldn't catch 
them. They then asked me to get in the line with them and 
help catch them. At first I refused, but thinking that if I 
were in the line the horses would be apt to break towards me, 
I changed my mind and took my place about the middle of the 
line. As I expected, when th horses turned they made directly 
for me, while I, shouting and wildly pawing the air, pretended 
to do all I could to stop them, but was really very careful not 
to do so. I had done this twice, and while watching the 
Indians out on the prairie after the herd, congratulated myself 



on the success of my scheme, believing that I would be able 
to continue it and so entirely prevent the Indians from catching 
the horses. 

VVhile thus watching the chase, an old squaw came near 
and passed behind me but did not appear to see me, but she 
said in a low voice* "puckashee tehan" (go away, or go far 
oft). I turned to look at her but she was watching the Indians 
so I said nothing, thinking she had discovered my trick and 
wished to get me away before the horses could be brought 
back. However, I resolved to stay and did, with the same 
result. I was again watching the pursuit when the same bi^ 
Indian who had entered our house and asked for the rifles, 
stepped up and put his left arm about my neck and hugged 
me hard, saying that he v/ould like to scalp me and guessed 
he would before night. At the same time he struck me over 
the head with his lariat. This treatment was entirely unex- 
pected and resented, for as his left arm was around my neck 
his ribs on that side were fully exposed and I gave him to 
strong a punch with my right fist that he emitted a very large 
grunt and immediately let go and walked off. 

I had caught a glimpse of old Beaver Creek who was the 
only one that I knew. I thought that surely he would explain 
the strange doings but he refused to say a word to me. When 
I approached him he hastily turned away and seemed greatly 
excited. Still my suspicions were not aroused for I though' 
all these strange acts were because of the Chippewa raid. I 
did not dream of any danger to the whites. 

Believing that my little scheme had been discovered and 
that I would not be allowed to practice it any further, and 
knowing that our horses v/ere not in the drove, I made up my 
mind to go home. So I started on a lope, which was my usual 
gait when alone. Instead of taking the road which was on the 
prairie, I went a little farther' and entered the bushes which 
was the beginning of the timber of the bluffs. The bushes 



were not thick and I could run through them as easily as in the 
road. Why I went into the bushes I really do not know for I 
was not in the least frightened or excited. I had hear nothing 
alarming and the little episode with the Indian was trivial. I 
simply obeyed a sudden impulse. Probably it was very for- 
tunate that I did for afterwards I remembered hearing several 
times the hiss and swish that would be caused by an arrow 
cutting the leaves. 

I was home in a few minutes. Chalon and Radnor had 
returned with our horses which were then secured about the 
house. I told father what was going on down at Hunter's 
and said the Indians seemed determined to have the horses. 
He said they wouldn't get his without a fight, so I proposed 
that we take them to the agency and put them in charge of the 
agent. He considered a moment and then said that we might 
take them out on the prairie where we could keep them away 
from the Indians. We had seven horses and colts and if one 
or two were mounted the others would follow, so Chalon and 
I were to take them out. 

Chalon had something to do that delayed him a few 
minutes, but as soon as I had mounted I started eastward on 
the open prairie. Within a few minutes I saw a man in his 
shirt sleeves running towards our settlement from the direction 
of the agency. I rode up and found him greatly excited 
saying that the Indians were killing all the whites at the agency 
and that we must get away right off. It was our neighbor 
Mr. Wichman. He continued towards his house while I 
turned and putting my horse to a run, started for home. I 
have never learned what became of Mr. Wichman and his 
family.* 



NOTE A.— In July 1907 I had the pleasure of visiting Mr. Wm. 
Wichman, of Morton, who told me of the fortunate escape of his 
father's family together with some neighbors who had collected at 
his house. Probably they got away while the Indians were en- 
gaged in the capture of the horses at Hunter's. Mr. Wichman 
also told me of an attempt to warn his people of danger by a 
friendly Indian, but not being understood, it was not heeded. This 
confirms my opinion that the squaw's words to me at Hunter's 
were intended to get me away from danger. 



In a few moments I met Chalon mounted on a fleet little 
mare. I briefly told him what I had heard as he rode along 
with me. As soon as he comprehended the situation he gave 
the word to his little mare who seemed fairly to fly as she 
bore him home and past the house without stopping. On down 
to the creek he went giving the alarm to Dave Carrothers' and 
telling them to go to our house, then to James Carrothers' with 
the same word. Hunter was not at home so he went no farther. 
James Carrothers and Mr. White had a few days before been 
selected as delegates to a political convention which met, I 
think, at Owatonna. Consequently both were absent. Some 
one carried the word to Mr. White's people and father went 
to Henderson's. Soon all were collected at our house. The 
seats were removed from the spring wagon and two feather 
beds placed in the bottom on which Mrs, Henderson was laid 
and her two little girls with her. The horses were hitched to 
one lumber wagon and two yoke of oxen attached to the other. 
Into these two wagons the women and children climbed and 
made themselves as comfortable as possible. 

While these preparations were being made, I was busy 
loading the guns. The whole stock of arms consisted of two 
rifles and three double barreled shot guns which father held in 
pawn for cattle sold to the Indians. Of course, they were all 
muzzle loaders. I have often wondered what would have been 
the outcome if we had had Winchesters. One rifle carried 
about sixty to the pound, but the other was very small bore 
carrying 1 20 to the pound. Both of these I loaded carefully 
and, because of the small bore of one, I put in two bullets. 
Next I loaded Little Crow's gun and one of the others, but 
for the third I had no shot so put in a few small stones. Our 
shot and bullets were all gone and only one flask of powder 
partly filled remained. This shows how utterly defenseless we 
were. 

All being ready to start (we intended going to Fort 



Ridgely, 18 miles distant), Dave Carrothers took the larger 
rifle, father took the small bore (loaded with two bullets), 
Chalon took Little Crow's gun, I took another, and Radnor 
took the one loaded with small stones. We started due east 
in the direction of Fort Ridgely. 

At time of starting our party consisted of 27 persons, 
men, women, children, and two babes in arms, as follows: 
Father and mother and six children; Mr. Flenderson and wife 
and two children; Mrs. White and four children; Dave Car- 
rothers, wife and three children; Mrs. James Carrothers and 
two children; Jehial Wedge, and John Doyle. 

Within five minutes from starting we noticed 1 6 Indians 
who. suddenly rose to view about 80 rods southeast from us, 
and coming in a direction to cross our road a little aheach of us. 
At the same time I looked back and saw the three Indians 
who had been about our house, fall in behind us. Very 
quickly the Indians had formed a line across our road and 
gradually drawn in until we were entirely surrounded. When 
the leader made a sign for us to stop we did so. Mr. Hender- 
son, who understood their language better than the rest of us, 
went forward to talk with the chief. We saw by signs and 
gestures that he was holding a very earnest council with them 
which occupied about ten minutes. When he returned to us, 
the Indians maintained their circle around us though hardly 
any were visible as they had concealed themselves in various 
ways. On his return Mr. Henderson told us that the Indians 
had at first told him that they intended to kill all of us, but 
after talking they offered to let us pass if we would give up 
all our teams and guns. Mr. Henderson told them that we 
would not give up our guns under any circumstances and to 
this firm decision is due the fact that any of us escaped, for 
with us totally disarmed they would have slain all without any 
danger to themselves. Mr. Henderson also demanded to keep 
the colts and spring wagon, in which his wife was lying, and 



they also consented to this. It seemed that this was the best 
we could do for we had only five guns against their 1 9 guns 
and three of ours loaded with shot and stones while theirs were 
all loaded with balls. And more than all, we had no ammu- 
nition to reload our guns. What better could we do? And 
besides, Mr. Henderson said that they had agreed to furnish 
us an escort to the Fort so that no other Indians should molest 
us. So the terms were accepted and Mr. Henderson gave the 
signal whereupon the Indians came to claim their property. 
The women and children descended from the wagons which, 
with the teams, we turned over to the Indians who immediately 
detached them and then demanded the colts. Mr. Hender- 
son protested and reminded them of the agreement. But they 
only said he could have a yoke of oxen. He tried to show 
them that he could not use the oxen because the iron neck 
yoke was bolted to the end of the buggy pole so that the 
pole could not enter the yoke ring. This made no difference. 
They said they intended to have the colts anyway, so we 
proceeded to unhitch the colts and give them up. 

In the mean time the women and children had started on 
and had gained quite a distance on the way. After giving up 
the colts, Dave Carrothers went to get a yoke of oxen which 
stood 8 or 1 0 rods away. As he went he broke down a weed 
and on reaching them he swung the weed over their heads in 
place of a whip and started towards us with the oxen. Just 
then an Indian stepped out, placed an arrow to his bow and 
raised it threateningly at Carrothers, who saw the threat, left 
the oxen and came back to us. The Indians were standing 
about intermingled with us, their guns ready and both barrels 
at full cock. One unfortunate move on the part of any one of 
us would have resulted in the instant death of all. Why they 
did not kill us then and there, I cannot understand. Certain 
it is that our preservation was something more than good luck. 
It was a Providence. 



A hasty consultation and we decided to draw the buggy 
by hand. So two took hold of the ends of the neck yoke; 
Mr. Henderson took one whippletree; I took the opposite one; 
while father and Dave Carrothers pushed behind. 

We relied on the promises of the Indians so traveled rather 
leisurely. But I could not keep both eyes in front. To tell the 
truth I did not trust them as Mr. Henderson did and I noticed 
soon that the Indians began to gather in our rear. One after 
another joined until they were all together and following us at 
about twenty rods distance. I told Mr. Henderson that I 
didn't like the looks of things, but he said it was all right 
and according to agreement. My reply was that we could get 
along without a guard if only they would keep away. 

•=Ve had just reached the foot of a little descent and the 
Indians were at the top of it, when they fired the first shot, 
a single one which passed over our heads and landed a short 
distance ahead. Dave Carrothers, much excited, dodged and 
shouted, "look out." No one else uttered a sound, but hurried 
on. Of course, we soon found that we could never take that 
buggy out of reach of the Indians and that to attempt to do it 
meant death. We could not possibly do Mrs. Henderson any 
good either by remaining, for we could not defend her, nor 
by trying to take her along, which was impossible. And hard 
as it was we were obliged to abandon her and her two little 
girls, one and three or perhaps two and four years old. Mr. 
Henderson said that he could not leave his wife and for this 
we all honored him. Wedge said that Mrs. Henderson had 
nursed him in his sickness and he would not leave her. By this 
time the Indians were firing quite rapidly and every instant 
someone had a narrow escape. So we left them, uncertain as 
to their fate, hoping yet fearful. 

It seemed that as soon as we left the buggy the Indians 
ceased firing upon it and one after another all but two or three 
passed it and came on after us. We began to hope they might 



be spared, but directly we saw firing from the rear of the 
buggy, and very shortly I saw Mr. Henderson emerge from the 
middle of the line of Indians (for they had formed a line 
with extremes about 1 0 or 12 rods apart), and run rapidly 
toward us. We slackened our pace and waited for him. 

Every one of the sixteen Indians discharged both barrels 
of his gun at Mr. Henderson, and I do not doubt that some 
reloaded and fired again. How a man could come almost 
unhurt through such a storm of bullets is very strange. He 
was not entirely unhurt. They had shot the hat off his head- 
and his shirt was riddled on both sides of his body. The fore 
finger of the right hand was shot off at the first joint and the 
second finger had a slit from the middle joint to the end. 

He said that Wedge was dead and that he thought his 
wife and children had also been killed but he was not certain. 
He afterwards told me his story in detail. It seems that nearly- 
all of the Indians passed the wagon without giving them any 
attention, but the last two* .who were at a short distance behind, 
fired upon them. He shouted at them but Mrs. Henderson 
told him to take off a pillow case and hold it up as a flag 
of truce. This he did but they fired again and shot off the 
finger that held it. Then they stopped and made a sign which 
he and Wedge understood to take hold of the buggy and take 
it back. So each one took an end of the neck yoke and 
started to turn when the Indians fired again and Wedge fell. 
He then ran back to the wagon, but as the Indians continued 
to fire he suddenly resolved to leave his wife and try to save 
himself. So he started to come to us. 

We were fleeing from the Indians yet we were not going 
as fast as we might and we maintained a show of defense 
although not a gun had been discharged on our side. We had 
no ammunition to spare and really our guns were only useful 
as they kept the Indians at a little distance. For knowing 
probably that at least three of our guns only carried shot, while 



theirs carried ounce bullets, they kept beyond the range of our 
guns, while keeping us still within the range of theirs. 

Of course the pressure from the Indians compelled us to 
catch up with the women and children, though we delayed it 
as long as possible. When we finally overtook them I found 
Mrs. Dave Carrothers nearly giving out as she had to carry 
her baby, so I took the baby which greatly relieved her and 
she was able to keep up with the rest. I think we must have 
continued in this way for about a mile farther when Mrs. 
White, who was a very fleshy woman and was carrying a 
baby, stopped and said that she could go no farther. So we 
passed on and left her standing there. We watched as we 
fled to see what her treatment would be, and were much sur- 
prised to see an Indian go up to her and shake hands and 
motion to her to go back. Seeing that she wasn't hurt, she 
called out to the rest and waved a white handkerchief, 

It then seemed that it was the intention of the Indians to 
capture the women and children, and as it was utterly impos- 
sible for them to escape by fleeing and as we could not defend 
them, they deemed it best to stop, which they did. So I gave 
the baby to its mother and kept on. 

Dave Carrothers' oldest child was a boy about five years 
old. As he saw his father running on ahead, he ran after him 
as fast as his legs could carry him, calling to his father to wait. 
But his father did not wait for some time, but finally stopped 
and turned the little fellow around and told him to go back to 
his mother, while he himself resumed his flight. The boy re- 
mained where he was, crying, until the Indians came up. 
Finding him alone they killed him. 

The average distance which the Indians kept from us was 
about 1 5 or, possibly 20 rods, and as they were expert marks- 
men it is remarkable that any escaped. That they did is due 
to two reasons. First, their guns were poorly loaded, as the 
bullets were simply dropped in without any patch. Second, 



we kept our eyes to the rear and jumped to one side or fell as 
we saw a gun discharged at us. This may seem like fiction, 
to claim that we dodged their bullets, but it is nevertheles true* 
and more than one owed his life that day to his agility. 

We were streehed out in a sort of a line at a distance of 
several feet apart, and being separated could judge quite ac- 
curately whether an Indian were aiming at one's self or not. 
At one time Chalon and I were quite close to each other, 
Eugene White was a few rods ahead, and the ground was 
rising. As we were watching we saw an Indian level his gun 
at one of us, but being so close together we could not tell 
which one, so at the flash we both fell. It proved that it was 
intended for Chalon, and only that he dodged, it would have 
hit him between the shoulders. Missing him it went on and 
struck Eugene White on the inside of the right knee. He fell,, 
but immediately rose to a sitting position and grasped his knee 
with his hands. I ran up and asked him if he was hit and he 
replied that his leg was broken, but he immediately jumped up 
and ran on with a bad limp. Soon I noticed that he turned 
to the left and ran a little to one side and lay down behind a 
bunch of tall grass or weeds, perhaps thinking that it concealed 
him, but more likely he realized that he could go no farther. 
By this time the firing had become quite rapid and there was 
little chance for one to help another, and so Eugene was left 
behind. Very quickly I saw an Indian run to a short distance 
from where he lay and fire both barrels of his gun at him. 
If course I knew what had happened. 

The Indians were now crowding us hard, and we were 
somewhat weary. One Indian had tried two three times to 
get around our right flank so as to get an enfilading fire on 
our line, but each time we had spoiled his game by running 
ahead. At last father said that if he tried it again he would 
shoot him. Sure enough he did try it again and father stepped 
on top of a little mound, took deliberate aim, and fired. The 



Indian dropped and I saw no more of him. I could not tell 
whether he was killed or not, but certainly I do know that 
from that time two Indians gave their whole attention to shoot- 
ing at father. Of course father's only defense was gone for 
he had no ammunition to reload the gun. And so his only re- 
course was in dodging and they kept him constantly on the 
jump, yet he was not hit. But now he did a very foolish thing. 
He threw away his gun! Before this they did not know that 
he could 'not reload his gun, so out of respect for it, they kept 
a good distance. But now that he had thrown it away they 
had nothing to fear, so they closed in on him. Seeing them 
closing in on him, he called to the boys to stop and help him. 
Biu we had become a good deal scattered and Radnor was 
the only one near enough to help and he, brave boy, stopped 
to face two of them. Father said that as he ran up to Radnor, 
he told him to shoot and then turn and run, but for some 
reason Radnor threw himself on the ground to wait until 
they should come within range of his gun. The Indians who 
had hitherto come along together, now separated, and, making 
a detour to the right and left, came up on each side and yet 
Radnor remained until thinking them near enough he raised 
and fired at one of them, and at the same time they both fired 
at him. There could be but one result. The brave boy of 
fifteen had faced two warriors; had given his life to save his 
father's and had succeeded for the diversion which he created 
permitted father to get away. Here was an example of hero- 
ism and devotion that is worthy of becoming historical. 

As I have already said, we became more and more scat- 
tered after the capture of the women and I had begun to cogi- 
tate as to some means of escape besides running for I felt satis- 
fied that that means would not avail. 

The country there is what is called rolling prairie and be- 
tween the ridges or swells of land are lower places or swales 
containing more or less water in which grass and flags grow to 



1/ 



the height of several feet. As I rarr along one of these ridges 
I noticed that not an Indian's eye was upon me. They were 
either loading their guns or happened to be looking in another 
direction. Seizing the opportunity of the moment, I threw 
myself on the ground and rapidly rolled down the ridge on 
the opposite side from the Indians until I had descended far 
enough so that I could be out of sight in a stooping position. 
Then I rose and rapidly ran out a few rods into the swale and 
then turned and ran back near but not in my first trail, till near 
the shorter grass when I led my return trail into my first traiL 
I then turned and ran back into the swale following exactly in 
my first trail till I reached the point where I turned. From 
there I continued into the swale but carefully separated the 
grass and flags and raised them behind me so as to make as 
little trail as possible. When I had gone six or eight rods in 
this way I lay down and waited to see what would happen. 

I heard very little firing after I went into the swale, yet 
for safety I remained there for at least two hours when I 
cautiously raised up and becoming satisfied that there were no 
Indians about I left the swale and considered what I should 
do. 

To go back home was out of the question and to try to 
find the others was useless for I did not know what had be- 
come of them. So I determined to try to reach the fort which 
was probably 15 or 16 miles distant. There was a well 
beaten road which led directly to the fort, known as the Aber- 
crombie road, but I thought it would be unsafe to follow that 
road as the Indians would be sure to follow it if they chanced 
to be passing through the country So I made up my mind 
to keep along parallel to it and perhaps a half mile away. As 
I cctiV not see the road I was obliged to travel by the sun. 

'dh 1 did until sundown and then I took the north star at 
my guide. I had resolved to keep as much as possible in the 
lower ground and crossed the higher ground only when abso- 



lutely necessary, thinking it the safer course. Just about sunset 
I looked across the prairie from behind a ridge and perhaps 
a mile or two miles away I saw a person who appeared to be a 
white man in his shirt sleeves and I made up my mind to try 
to overtake him. Still I might have been mistaken so I had to 
be caulious. So it grew dark and I did not find him. I 
afterwards learned that it must have been Mr. Henderson and 
when I asked him why he was so careless in going on high 
ground he said that he kept on high ground as much as possible 
zo as to see if any Indians came near him. I have always 
thought my plan the safer one. 

About midnight the sky became cloudy so that I could no 
longer see the north star, and realizing how easily I could lose 
my way on that boundless prairie, I made up my mind to stop 
until morning. So after considerable search I found a swale 
with tall grass and weeds and without water. There I care- 
fully doubled and covered my trail as I had done in the day 
and after cutting a bundle of grass I lay down and covered 
myself up as well as I could with the grass. I was tired and 
quickly fell asleep. But I suddenly awoke with a start. I 
did not know what had caused it but I listened and soon I 
heard the note of a night hawk. It seemed only a short 
distance off and quickly I heard another night hawk in the 
opposite direction. In two or three minutes I heard a noise 
like three taps on a powder horn with a knife and quickly it 
was answered by the same signal. I instantly recognized the 
state of affairs. There were at least two Indians who had dis- 
covered my trail into the swale and had evidently been de- 
ceived by my return trail and were circling about trying to find 
it again. They used several different signals such as the bark 
of a coyote and others, and appeared to be drawing the circle 
smaller until they came so close that I feared that the next 
time around they would discover my hiding place. I distinctly 
heard the Indian in the tall grass as he passed and waiting 



until I thought it safe, I carefully made my way out until I 
had crossed his trail, when I drew my knife and lay down on 
my face prepared to spring if discovered. My gun was useless 
for when I lay down in the day time I was in water at least 
a foot deep and I had carelessly allowed my gun to get wet. 
My thought was that if I was likely to be discovered I might 
possibly be able to spring on the Indian and knife him before 
he could defend himself and thus I would get his gun. For- 
tunately they did not discover me and I was able to get a little 
more sleep. 

I am satisfied that my changing positions was very in- 
discreet and dangerous and I wonder that I was not found, for 
in crawling as I did I must have made a very broad trail not 
only by crushing the grass and reeds down but also by shaking 
off the dew. 

I supposed at the time that these Indians had followed 
me from the start, but in talking with father afterwards, I 
learned that he tried for a long time to get to Fort Ridgely 
but each attempt was frustrated and he finally turned north. 
It may be that we were near each other for a time and the 
Indians who discovered my trail were the ones who were pur- 
suing him. 

Early in the morning I started again keeping due eastward. 
I had had nothing to eat for twenty-four hours, and my vigor- 
ous appetite called for food. Yet no feeling of weakness or 
faintness bothered me. I was as lithe and active as if I hzd 
slept in the finest bed and had eaten a fine breakfast. The 
only trouble I had was , that the grass had cut my pants till 
my knees were naked and bleeding. Sometimes when the 
coarse grass would rake across my sore legs I would have to 
wince, but there was no remedy for it. 

I looked for teepson but did not find any. Perhaps that 
was because it grew on the higher and dryer ground which I 
avoided as much as possible. 



I had not seen the Abercrombie road since the day before 
so I determined to turn south in order to discover where it 
was and to learn whether I had wandered out of my way. I 
had traveled perhaps two or three miles when I saw at a dis- 
tance a man on horseback going west at a lope. At that dis- 
tance I could not make out whether the man was a white man 
or an Indian. So I stopped for a while until he was out of 
sight, when seeing no other I made up my mind to find the 
pony's track which might help me to decide whether the 
rider was white or red. If I found that the pony was bare- 
foot I would know it to be Indian, but if shod it would 
probably be white, though possibly red. 

Carefully I made my way until I came to the Aber- 
crombie road and saw the horse's track and found that it was 
shod. But where could the rider be going? I thought he 
must be running into extreme danger and that probably he had 
not yet heard of the outbreak. At any rate I could not help 
him so I turned east and resolved to follow the road even at 
quite a risk, for my legs were very sore. 

I soon came to quite a high ridge that ran squarely across 
tke road. What was my astonishment when I had ascended 
far enough to look over it to see at some distance three covered 
wagons like emigrant wagons. I had been rather careless on 
ascending the ridge but instantly on discovering the wagons 
threw myself down behind the ridge and stopped to consider. 
What were these wagons? I concluded that they were emi- 
grant wagons which had been captured by the Indians who 
were now taking them to the agency, and that the mounted man 
I had seen was an Indian, riding a captured horse. What, 
should I do? was a question to be decided at once, whether to 
run for it or to take refuge again in a swale which lay near the 
foot of the hill. But I determined to take another look before 
deciding on what to do. So I carefully raised up until I 
could look over the ridge when I saw one of the pleasantest 



sights of my life, a body of troops. I could see their uniforms 
and the glistening of their guns and bayonets in the sunshine. 

I did not remain behind the ridge long. I forgot all about 
my sore legs, stiff knees and all that, as I went quickly forward 
to meet them. I soon found it was about fifty soldiers under 
the command of Lieut. Sheehan who were on their way to 
Fort Ridgley which was then about 10 miles to the west of 
us. So I had wandered so far to the north that I had passed 
the fort without seeing it and had met this relief 1 0 miles east 
of it. It was some troops who had been for some time at 
Yellow Medicine but had been ordered back to Fort Ripley. 
They had stopped at Fort Ridgely on Saturday night and 
resumed their march on Sunday morning, marched all day 
Sunday, and camped and again resumed the march Monday 
morning, the day of the outbreak. Just as they were preparing 
to go into camp Monday night they were overtaken by a 
mounted messenger from Fort Ridgley with orders to return. 
So after cooking and eating their supper they started on the 
return. They had marched all night and until 10 o'clock 
Wednesday when I met them. Lieut. Sheehan questioned me 
with regard to the trouble but I knew nothing except what I 
had seen myself so he soon told me to stop for the commissary 
wagon and get something to eat. I did not wait to hear this 
order repeated. In a minute I was in the wagon asking for 
food. The driver told me there was nothing but raw pork. I 
thought this very strange but did not wait to discuss the ques- 
tion. I found the pork barrel and went into the brine up to my 
elbow and fished out a chunk of pork from which I cut off a 
few slices with my knife. I think I never ate a more delicious 
morsel. Hunger was an ample sauce. I also enjoyed the ride. 
It seemed such a luxury to ride instead of drawing my sore 
legs through coarse grass with edges like saw teeth. 

Fort Ridgely stands upon quite a prominent bluff or prom- 
ontory formed by the Minnesota river on the south and a 



cieek which enters it at an acute angle on the north and east. 
The bluffs are quite high and they and the bottom lands are 
quite thickly timbered. 

The road to the east and the one which the returning 
troops would follow went through this creek and the Indians 
who knew that they were returning had formed an ambuscade 
in the woods. But the officer at the fort had sent a messenger 
by a detour to notify Lieut. Sheehan of the ambuscade. It 
was this messenger that I had seen after he had notified the 
lieutenant and was on his way back to the fort. 

When we had reached within a mile or so of the creek, 
Lieut. Sheehan came back to the wagon in which I was riding 
and asked me if I could drive a four mule team. I told him 
that I had never done so, but that I believed I could. So he 
took the soldier who was driving the rear team and sent him 
into the ranks and told me to mount the mule. There were 
three teams and wagons and I thought the team I had would 
follow the one in front and so would need little or no driving. 

Lieut. Sheehan went to his chest and took out a* broad 
red scarf, such as the officer of the day wears, and put it on, 
thus making himself very conspicuous. It was certainly a 
brave thing to do under the circumstances, but very indiscreet. 
No experienced Indian fighter of today would think of doing 
such a thing. 

The march was resumed, but before reaching the woods 
Lieut Sheehan with his men made a wide detour to the right 
where the bluffs were lower and the woods less thick. There 
he crossed the creek, but left the wagons with the three team- 
sters to go through the ambuscade. I thought at the time that 
this movement smacked of cowardice and that the Lieutenant 
desired mostly to get his own skin safely into the fort. But 
the Lieutenant did the very best thing that he could, not only 
for himself and the soldiers but for us as well, if he had 
undertaken to go through where we went not one would have 



escaped. What saved us? It was a couple of howitzers 
which had been run out onto the bluff and loaded with shell 
and the Indians knew that at the first shot the shells would 
drop among them and they were mortally afraid of them. 
They called them rotten balls because they flew in pieces. 

As to the number of Indians there, I rely entirely on what 
was told me. I saw only a few for of course they were as 
well concealed as possible. Why did they not shell the In- 
dians out of there before Sheehan's troops came? That would 
seem the proper thing to do, but from what I afterward learned 
I think the officer in command of the fort hesitated to begin 
hostilities, for up to that time there had been no attack on the 
fort which was filled with refugees and contained only 50 
soldiers. This place did not deserve the name of fort, for 
there were only two bullet proof buildings in it, and consisted 
simply of a few buildings built around an open square with 
open spaces between them. Not one of the buildings was loop- 
holed. In short, the post was only intended as barracks. It 
was -never intended to resist an attack. 

We had reached the fort safely, but what was the condi- 
tion of things inside? 

Quite early on Monday Capt. Marsh in command of the 
fort had heard of the outbreak and at once started with about 
50 men for the lower agency where he was ambuscaded and 
23 were left dead for us to bury two weeks afterward, while 
he was drowned in trying to swim the river, This left the 
fort in command of his first lieutenant who I judge would 
rather eat pie than fight, with only fifty soldiers to defend this 
indefensible place, filled as it was with frightened men, women 
and children. 

Perhaps it was best that he did not commence hostili- 
ties. Lieut. Sheehan ranked the lieutenant and therefore took 
command. 

As soon as I reached the fort, I applied to Lieut. Gere 



for a gun, but he said that the extra guns were all distributed 
among the citizens. But after a while I found a sergeant who 
was on detail and had no use for his gun so loaned it to me 
with belt and cartridge box anoT I then joined a company of 
citizens that had been formed for the defense of the fort and 
had chosen Mr. DeCamp as captain. I was assigned to duty 
at one of the windows of the soldiers quarters, a stone building 
which occupied the north side of the parade. The women 
and children were in the second story. The men had been 
armed as well as possible with guns but when these were all 
distributed they were given axes, crowbars and the like and 
stationed at the doors and windows of the stone building to 
guard them in case of assault. Outside of this stone building 
was a row of small log houses that had been built for the 
families of the non-commissioned officers and troops were 
placed in and behind them for their defense. Other buildings 
were defended by placing men in them but there was no sign 
of a breast work about the fort, while on the north, east and 
south sides, it was within easy gun shot of ravines and bluffs 
where Indians could lie in safety while attacking it. 

About noon of August 20th, a force of Indians returning 
from the attack on New Ulm, were going towards the agency 
on the opposite side of the river, and the commander dropped 
a few shell among them. About two o'clock the music began 
and it seemed for a while as though pandemonium itself had 
broken loose, for the Indians numbered 400 or 500 and they 
fired rapidly and each time they fired they uttered the war 
whoop. The noise from the shooting with the crashing of 
bullets through doors and windows was bad enough but the war 
whoop was worse yet, for it was simply blood curdling and I 
really think that I dodged oftener for the war whoops than 
for the bullets. For a moment it seemed that my hair stood 
on end and I was a bit rattled but by an effort I regained con- 
trol of myself and afterwards was not badly excited. 



I could not do much in the way of shooting for the soldiers 
in the log huts soon had quite a cloud of smoke about them 
which obscured my sight and made it dangerous to them for 
me to shoot. So I simply remained on guard at the window. 
The fighting continued till long after dark when the Indians 
withdrew. No one in the room where I was stationed was 
wounded but the surgeon brought in others who had been 
wounded outside and the sight of these poor fellows taxed my 
nerves severely. 

After the fighting ceased everything became quiet and a 
part of us slept while others kept watch. The next morning 
the citizens company was ordered to assemble and we were 
arranged in single rank across the parade. I happened to 
stand fourth from the right of the company. As soon as Capt. 
DeCamp had the company in line he reported the fact to 
Lieut. Sheehan who proceeded to make us a speech in which 
he called us all the mean names such as cowards and sneaks, 
etc., that he could think of. I was surprised for I was not 
aware of sneaking, but I afterward learned that many of thorn 
had deserted their posts and gone upstairs with the women and 
children. Lieut. Sheehan ended his harangue by telling Capt. 
DeCamp to pick out 1 0 of his men, if he had so many in his 
company of scrubs, and detail them to go on picket duty to 
relieve his men. 

Capt. DeCamp began at the right of the company and 
asked if the man could go on picket duty for about two hours. 
The man said no and gave some flimsy excuse. He then 
asked the second and got a still poorer excuse. I think his 
excuse was that he had no cartridge box but had to carry his 
cartridges in his pocket. He asked the third man and got 
another flimsy excuse. I confess by that time I was ashamed 
of the company I was in and I did not blame Lieut. Sheehan 
for the language he had used. I think I would have volun- 
teered to go if I had known I would get hurt. So when Capt. 



The above monument was erected under the direction of the 
Renville County Pioneers to the memory of Radnor Earle who 
was killed on Aug. 18, 1862, while defending his father's life. 
The monument stands on the spot where the lad was killed, and 
is on the Louis Zinne farm in Beaver Falls township. The gran- 
ite used for the monumnnt was taken from quarries located within 
a few miles of where the monument stands. 



J* 



3 



DeCamp asked me I answered promptly and loudly, "Yes, 
Sir." No doubt my answer came more from shame and bra- 
vado than from bravery, but it seemed to have a magical effect 
on Lieut. Sheehan for he said, "Thank God for one man. 
Take a pace to the front." Soon the other nine were found 
and we were taken out and stretched in a picket line about the 
fort. My post was on a knoll about 80 rods from the fort 
and on the Abercrornbie road. Other pickets were about 20 
rods distant on either side. 

Nothing of interest occurred during the two hours I was 
on that post except that one of the soldiers who had been with 
Capt. Marsh returned and was received at my post. While 
detaining him until the corporal of the guard could come and 
admit Hm he told me of the fight between Capt. Marsh's men 
and the Indians. It was a sad tale of ambush. The soldiers 
were on the opposite side of the river from the agency and 
the ferry boat was on the other side. While Capt. Marsh 
was considering what to do, an Indian dressed in citizens 
clothes appeared on the other side and told the Captain that 
there were no Indians there. The river at that point ran close 
to the foot of the bluff which was thickly covered with trees 
and bushes. The captain believed the Indian, so had a man 
swim across and bring back the boat. The soldiers were put 
aboard the boat and it was started across. When it had 
reached the middle of the river the Indians began the attack 
from the bluff and also from the rear for there was a large 
force concealed in the grass just a little distance from where 
Capt. Marsh reached the river. Immediately they pulled 
back to the shore and left the boat, such as were not killed, 
and found some defense in the trees and bushes of the bank. 
For a time they replied to the Indian attack but their members 
were melting away. I do not know whether Capt. Marsh 
ordered a dispersing or retreat or what, but this man made up 
his mind to hide himself. A little to one side he saw an old 



brush heap and, raising one side of the heap, crawled under it 
and let the heap drop back on him. It happened that he was 
effectually concealed and after remaining there for some time 
until half of the soldiers were killed and the rest dispersed, he 
crawled out and made his way to the fort. 

Having been relieved from picket, I received my break- 
fast which was the first meal I had eaten since that meal of 
raw pork, and I put in a good supply for I did not know 
when I would get any more. I had made up my mind not to 
remain in that citizens company any longer so after breakfast 
I went to a sergeant of Lieut. Sheehan's company and asked 
him to take me into his squad, but he said he could not do it 
without orders and could not draw rations for me. I thought 
I had failed, but one of the men who stood near said "take 
him in sergeant if you can for he is the only citizen I have seen 
that is worth a d — n" and another said, "we'll divide rations 
with him" and so I was sort of adopted by that squad of seven 
or eight men. But I did not remain with them long. 

The next day there were signs of trouble and Lieut. Shee- 
han perfected his scheme of defense, one item of which was 
to divide the line of defense into squad limits and place a ser- 
geant in command of a certain limit. Thus he could call for 
a report from any part of the line at any time. On this day 
(Friday) the squad I belonged to was placed behind the log 
huts, and Capt DeCamp had command of that line. Pretty 
soon the firing began briskly. The Indians could come up the 
ravine through which the road ran and in this way come within 
eight or ten rods of us still protected by the banks of the ravine. 
So we had to look sharp. We had become a good deal inter- 
ested when Capt. DeCamp marched slowly along behind the 
line apparently giving no heed to the bullets. When he had 
reached about the middle of the line he stopped and said in 
a voice loud enough to be heard all along the line, "Boys, I 
am ordered to shoot the first man who leaves his post without 



orders, and I'll do it by G— d." He carried a Sharps rifle 
and I think every one believed that he meant what he said. 
There were a few citizens in the squad and he probably remem- 
bered how they had acted before. Soon Lieut. Sheehan came 
running to Capt. DeCamp and said he wanted four men to go 
to the other side of the parade. There were four of us near 
together and DeCamp designated us to go with Sheehan. So 
bringing our guns to "right shoulder shift" Sheehan gave the 
order to double quick and led the way across the parade which 
was being raked through every opening between the buildings. 
We had reached the middle and the bullets were coming thick 
enough to satisfy even Lieut. Sheehan. He turned around and 
said to us "G — d d — n it, can't you run faster than that." 
Now as a sprinter I was not ready to acknowledge any super- 
ior so I let out and before he knew it I was way ahead but he 
called "Hold on, hold on," so I slacked up and let him catch 
up with me. At the south side he left me in the opening be- 
tween the headquarters and the corner building without even 
a spear of grass to hide behind. I could simply hug the ground 
and trust luck. But they did not leave me there long before 
Sergt. Blackmer called to me to come into his squad which 
was outside of all the buildings on the east side of the fort. *" 
Here I found myself with four soldiers and though separated 
from my friends I was content. Here again there was nothing 
to shelter the men. Our only protection was in shooting so 
well that the Indians would not dare expose themselves long 
enough to take good aim. Our greatest danger was in the 
fact that the ground in our front was quite rolling, that is, 
numerous little hillocks with ravines growing tall grass between, 
and behind these hillocks or now here, now there, in the tall 
grass between, an Indian would suddenly raise, take a quick 
aim and fire. One was particularly persistent and seemed to 
rave a particular desire to pink me. He had made some close 
shots, so that I became rather anxious to get him. In my 



eagerness I forgot due caution and rose on my knees when 
another Indian let fly at me. The bullet hit the third finger 
of my right hand and glanced to the stock of my gun which it 
damaged considerably. I did not know that I had been hit 
but found myself standing upright and a soldier tugging at my 
clothes to pull me down. I lay down at once and resumed 
the watch for my Indian. Pretty soon the soldier said that 
one of us must be hit for there was blood on the ground. I 
told him that it was he and showed him some holes in his coat 
sleeve. But he said no that it was I and pointed to a little 
hole just in the center of my shirt front, but then I remem- 
bered that that hole was burned one evening while fishing with 
a jack and just then the soldier noticed the wound of my fing- 
er. ■J-'- was bleeding considerably and the bone was broken 
yet it hadn't begun to pain me. Sergt. Blackmer sent me to 
the surgeon to have it dressed and I returned to the squad, but 
soon the feeling returned and the pain was terrific. My hand 
jerked so that I could not hold the gun still long enough to 
shoot. So as I was disabled, Sergt> Blackmer told me to go 
behind a door made of inch pine boards which was leaning 
against the side of a building and keep watch in a certain 
direction which did not seem to be under observation, and the* 
Indians might charge on that side. I got up and ran over 
and sat down behind the door and at once I was taken with 
an unbearable pain in my hand and arm. I simply could not 
endure it and had just come out from behind the door when 
the Indians fired a volley at it. The door looked like the top 
of a pepper box. If I had been behind it I must have been 
hit by at least a dozen balls. I returned to Sergt. Blackmer 
who ordered me again to the surgeon. The surgeon dressed 
it again and put on a white powder, probably morphine, which 
for a time relieved the pain, but I was entirely unable to use a 
gun, so Sergt. Blackmer told me to keep a look out in differ- 
ent directions. Soon afterwards Sergt. Blackmer was wounded 



in the jaw, the bullet passing through from side to side. The 
poor fellow must have suffered terribly. 

For several hours, lasting until quite late in the night, they 
kept up the attack. There were a good many of our men hurt 
and I think we must have done them some injury for just before 
their attack ceased we could hear an Indian down in the tim- 
ber calling the rest away. A half breed who was in the fort 
said that the Indian said, "Come away or they'll kill us all." 
The firing ceased at once and from that time there was no 
further attack worthy of note. They kept up a state -of siege 
so that it was dangerous for one to expose himself, but aside 
from occasional shots there was no firing. This state of siege 
lasted about ten days when, to our delight, one day a com- 
pany of mounted men rode into the fort. The Indians made 
but slight effort to keep them out and immediately departed, 
well knowing, no doubt, that from that time there would be 
no use in trying to capture it. We heard no more of them. 

As soon as I could I went to the camp of the cavalry and 
found it composed largely of refugees under, the command of 
Capt. Joseph Anderson who was an old Mexican War soldier. 
It had been organized for the express purpose of relieving New 
Ulm and Fort Ridgley. Much to my surprise I found Chalon 
who brought me news of the safety of father, Herman and 
Millard White. It seems strange to me now that I never 
asked father for a detailed statement of his experiences after 
we separated. Neither did he ever ask me any questions as 
to my escape, and when mother returned I never sought a his- 
tory of her adventures. All that I know concerning any of 
them was what I heard them tell to others. 

It seems that after father's rescue by Radnor, for it was 
no less, he ran across Herman, and then Chalon and Millard 
White. They tried until late in the night to make their way 
to Fort Ridgley but they seemed to be prevented by some 
Indians. Finally despairing of reaching there, they struck out 




to the north and at last reached Glencoe after a couple of 
days. Herman became so exhausted that father had to carry 
him on his back many weary hours before they reached the 
settlement. 

On the way they fell in with two Indians who evidently 
had been hunting and had not heard of the outbreak, They 
offered no indignities except to compel Chalon to trade guns 
with one of them and so Chalon lost Little Crow's gun. 

Father's legs were so badly torn by the grass that gan- 
grene at one time threatened. 

After the mounted men reached the fort there was a re- 
organization of the company and as they expected to go on 
whenever there should be a move to rescue the women and 
children who were prisoners, I made up my mind to enlist in 
the company which I did, A new roll was made and I think 
Chalon's name appears as third and mine as fourth on it. We 
elected officers, choosing as Captain, Joseph Anderson, Brown, 
1st Lieut., and Marshall, 2nd Lieut. (I am not positive as 
to the name of the second lieutenant, but think I am right.) 
I remember two other aspirants for the office of captain. One 
was said to be an old hunter and Indian fighter. The other 
was a young Irishman whose claim to the office was based on 
the alleged fact that he was in the battle of Pittsburgh Land- 
ing and so had had experience. However, Anderson was 
elected by a large vote. 

The next few days were spent in scouting, foraging, and 
drilling. Nothing exciting occurred, unless it be a little inci- 
dent by which I gained the Indian blanket which has now been 
nearly worn out. I was scouting one day, when I saw a while 
object lying on the ground and riding toward it I saw that it 
was a blanket, but there was an Indian there too. An argu- 
ment followed which resulted in my taking the blanket which 
I needed and which the Indian did not need any longer. 

As I revert to those times it stirs my pulses a little, but 



such things as this just related were then considered of little 
moment. I have wondered a thousand times that I did not 
get my foolish head knocked off, but aside from the wound 
in my hand I never received a scratch. 

Chalon was worse than a daredevil. Wherever was the trail 
of an Indian there would he go seemingly without thought of 
the possible consequences. Yet he was never hurt though he 
was many times in tight places. It may have been our good 
luck that got us out of bad scrapes. 

Sunday morning, August 3 1 st, we were ordered to mount, 
and then in addition to our heavy muskets and bayonets we 
were given heavy cavalry sabres, the most useless thing to us 
that we could have. But we had to take them anyway. As 
I sat there in the saddle weighted down with musket, bayonet, 
sabre, cartridge and cap box, besides blanket and haversack, 
I felt that it would be impossible to get out of the saddle 
without first unloading. 

By this time quite a large force of infantry had reached 
the fort and were camped on the prairie west of it. Col. Sibley 
was in command. He had been chosen for the command and 
given the rank of Brigadier General because of his previous 
experience with and knowledge of the Indians. 

We learned about noon of August 31st that an expedi- 
tion made up of Anderson's cavalry and Capt. Grant's com- 
pany of infantry had been ordered to proceed to the lower 
agency and settlements near for the purpose of burying the 
dead and of learning something about the prisoners. The 
command of the expedition was given to a Maj. Brown. We 
took along seven or eight wagons with rations, forage, etc. 

Sunday night we camped in the river bottom not far from 
the ferry. It was my luck to be on guard that night and 
though we were undisturbed, there were plenty of signal fires 
indicating that Indians were about. The next morning Maj. 
Brown ordered Capt. Anderson to cross the river to the agency 



and learn what he could there, if anything, then to proceed up 
the river a few miles and cross back and meet the infantry in 
camp on the Birch Coolie. Grant's infantry after burying the 
soldiers who had been killed at the ferry were to proceed up 
the river to the mouth of Beaver Creek, to ascend that to our 
home and then cross over to Birch Coolie for camp. Birch 
Coolie is the name of a creek about three miles east of the 
Beaver Creek. Chalon and I were detailed as guides and 
to scout for the infantry. 

For some reason now forgotten, I was not ready to start 
with the infantry and they had been gone quite a while v/hen 
I started after them and met a squad of soldiers under a half 
breed sergeant on their way back to the fort. Why they had 
been sent along or why now returning I do not know. This 
sergeant had tried to get me to enlist in his company and I 
think I had nearly promised to do so, but when Chalon ar- 
rived at the fort I changed my mind and told the sergeant so. 
He seemed quite disappointed and inclined to be mad. When 
I met the sergeant and his squad, he stopped me and asked me 
again to enlist in his company but I refused and started on 
when he called out, "You 11 never see the fort again." 
Whether he thought to frighten me, or thought I would while 
scouting run into a bad place, or whether he did not realize 
the danger the expedition would be in, I do not know nor did 
I then stop to think. 

I was soon in advance of the infantry, looking out for 
possible ambush. Before noon Chalon and I found a half- 
crazed Swedish woman who tried to elude us and we had to 
run her down. When we had captured her, we learned that 
all her family had been killed, she herself had been wounded 
by 1 4 buckshot in her back and in this condition had remained 
so near the Indians, supporting herself on the food found in 
the deserted houses. We halted and waited until the infantry 
came up, then we turned her over to Capt. Grant and we re- 



The above monument was erected to the memory of Mrs. 
S. R. Henderson and two little daughters, also Jehiel Wedge and 
Eugene White, who were killed by the Indians on Aug. 1 8, 
1862. The slab stands on the spot where the victims were 
slaughtered, and is on the Henry Homeier farm, Beaver Falls 
township. 



sumed our scouting. 

We reached our house sometime after noon and it was a 
sad looking wreck. We did not care to remain there long 
and as our camp for the night was to be nearly in the direction 
of our flight just two weeks before, we made up our minds to 
follow that course. 

We soon came to the place where we had left the buggy 
with Mrs. Henderson and there we found her body with a 
broken jug at her head, the bodies of her two little girls and 
a few feet away the body of Mr. Wedge. 

Mr. Henderson had accompanied the expedition and was 
there to see the remains of his wife and children. He was 
nearly (leart broken but I think he did not utter a word. 

These buried, we followed on and found the body of 
Dave Carrothers' little boy but did not succeed in finding the 
body of Eugene White. Chalon soon after called and said 
that he had found Eugene, but when I reached him I at once 
recognized the body as Radnor's from the clothing. The 
body was so decomposed as to be unrecognizable. It was 
now getting late so we buried him in a shallow grave and 
turned toward the camp feeling that we had lost the best boy 
that ever lived. 

We found the camp formed about 20 rods from the tim- 
bered banks of the Birch Coolie and surrounded by knolls 
and ravines. In fact, as I remember it now, it could not have 
been placed better — for the Indians. The wagons had been 
drawn up in a circle about five or six rods in diameter and 
the horses were tied to a rope stretched across the circle and 
fastened to the wagons. The tents, known as the Sibley tent, 
were pitched inside the circle and would accommodate about 
20 men each. The tent which I slept in that night faced the 
east and I happened to lie just at the side of the entrance. 
Chalon was a wagon guard and slept under the wagon. The 
Swedish woman we had captured had been put into a cov- 



it I 

ered wagon and a buffalo robe was given her for covering. 

About four o'clock the next morning, just as the grey of 
approaching dawn began to appear, one of my company who 
had been one of Walker's Filibusters, saw some objects run- 
ning about the prairie near the camp which he thought must 
be hogs. Thinking it would be a great joke on the inexper- 
ienced men to give an alarm, he fired on one of the supposed 
hogs, when to his surprise his shot was followed immediately 
by a terrific war whoop and volley. 

What he took for hogs were Indians sneaking up with 
bows and arrows in order to kill the sentinels without giving 
an alarm, and expecting then to charge a sleeping camp. But 
the /ofce was unfortunate for them for the camp was alarmed. 
The Indians immediately directed their fire at about breast 
high of the tents, calculating that the soldiers would spring up 
at the first alarm and many would be hit before getting out of 
the tents. They were right. Very few of the men of either 
company had ever been under fire before and they immediately 
sprang up. Many were killed and wounded in the tents. 

With the first war whoop I was wide awake and at once 
rolled on my face in order to get up. Immediately the com 
motion began. Sergt. Baxter, a big, noble fellow, sprang u 
and said, "Come on boys, don't be afraid," and started for 
the tent door. Just then he clasped his hands to his chest 
and cried, "My God, boys, I'm shot in the breast," and he 
fell across my legs. He was so heavy that it took quite a few 
seconds to get out from under him, and when I reached the 
line the firing was heavy. Chalon was in his element. He 
stood at the end of a wagon and fired as rapidly as possible. 
His conduct pleased Capt. Anderson and every time he fired 
the Captain praised him thinking probably that "the boy's" 
courage would soon play out. But when he saw that he held 
his position he finally ordered him to lie down, saying that he 
could not afford to lose such a brave fellow. I lay along side 



of the Captain and I soon found that he was as cool and un- 
concerned as an iceberg. That helped me and others to keep 
cool. 

Thinking that when the Indians should find out that they 
could not take the camp by surprise they would leave, we 
gave our sole attention to the fight. But as it continued hour 
after hour without any let up and our losses were severe, we 
began to dig each for himself. My utensils for digging were 
my bayonet and my hands, still I soon had a little ditch with 
a slight bank in front which afforded a good protection. The 
others of our company provided for themselves in the same 
way. Capt. Grant had a few shovels in his wagons and with 
these the men soon dug a trench deep enough and long enough 
to give protection to the whole company. As the Indians per- 
sisted in the attack, and we were completely surrounded, no 
one could get out to go to the fort for help. So our officers 
begain to caution the men not to waste ammunition as no one 
could tell how long we might have to stay there, and judging 
by the firing it would be madness to attempt to cut our way 
through to the fort, which was sixteen miles away. No one 
dared to hope that the firing would be heard so far, so the 
prospects for relief were very poor. 

There was not a bucket of water in the camp and we soon 
began to suffer intensely from thirst, especially as we had to 
bite the cartridges, thus getting powder in our mouths. I got 
some relief by chewing a bullet which started the saliva and 
moistened my mouth. 

Food was as scarce nearly as water. All I had to eat 
during the battle was a small piece of raw cabbage leaf, but 
that was very delicious. 

As evening came the Indians left a part of their number 
to keep up the fight but the larger number withdrew into the 
woods of the bottom lands where they were perfectly safe, 
and slaughtered and roasted beef for their suppers which they 



evidently enjoyed more than we did. 

The firing 'continued all night which was as light almost 
as day. We were allowed no rest. We dared not sleep, 
even a portion at a time for it had been noticed that when we 
slackened fire too much they became much bolder, and as 
we had lost a good many our fire was necessarily much 
lighter than at first. At one time Capt. Grant's men slack- 
ened their fire so much that we on the other side of the circle 
were badly exposed to the Indian fire and most of our casual- 
ties were from that side. So Capt. Anderson determined to 
send word to Capt. Grant to that effect. He asked me to go. 
As I was simply to go there and back, I left my gun and 
made a bold dash for it, thinking I would get across before 
the Indians would see me. But they were alert and instantly 
the bullets came thick. There had been a scow picked up 
somewhere and brought along on one of the wagons and on 
camping had been thrown upon the ground. This lay con- 
venient for me and I threw myself behind it. The firing 
quickly ceased and after a few minutes I went on to Capt. 
Grant and delivered my message. When I sprang up to re- 
turn it seemed as though they were all watching for me, for 
I never heard bullets whistle so thickly. Again I dropped 
behind the boat and from there across was a little more dis- 
creet. 

Morning came. Noon came and went with no promise 
of relief. But about two o'clock in the afternoon we noticed 
a stir among the Indians, a slackening of their fire, and we 
soon were aware that most of them had left us to meet a force 
coming to our relief. A regiment under Gen. Sibley were 
coming and, scarcely halting, they formed a line of battle 
and, scattered the redskins from in front of them. Indians 
didn't make much of an effort for they were outnumbered and 
there was no show for them. Of our force of 140 men more 
than half were killed or wounded. We buried 1 3 there. 



Among them was poor Henderson. I did not see him after the 
fight began. We found him between our lines and the Indians. 
He had probably started to run at the beginning of the fight 
and was caught between the lines, and whether killed by sol- 
diers or Indians, no one knows. /\ 

Our relief was fortunate. Soon after the fight began, a 
picket at the fort reported firing towards the west. Gen. Sib- 
ley immediately dispatched an officer and several companies 
of troops to our relief, but after coming about three miles the 
officer went back and said he could not hear any firing. Mean- 
time it had been plainly heard at the fort, so Gen. Sibley 
peremptorily ordered him to come to our relief and to continue 
until he found us. The officer then started again and came 
within three miles and camped notwithstanding that the fight 
was still going on. Neither did he make any proper effort in 
the morning, for . before he got started Gen. Sibley had taken 
another force and come to seek us, and had found the officer 
just ready to break camp. 

A good hearty meal and we were loaded into wagons for 
our return to the fort. Every one of our horses had been 
killed. 

Father had meantime reached the fort and learned where 
the "Earle boys" were. You may imagine his feelings as 
he stood on the knoll by the picket post and heard the firing 
hour after hour, knowing that his two boys were there. We 
were in a wagon near the end of the train and as we neared 
the fort there was father asking constantly, "Do you know 
anything of the Earle boys?" I heard him while he was still 
quite a distance off, and some of the answers. Some said 
both killed, some one killed and so on. As the last wagon 
drew near and he had not yet found either nor got a satis- 
factory answer to his questions, he began to be discouraged 
and his voice trembled. By the time our wagon reached him 
he had ceased to ask for the Earle boys, but asked for the 



Cullen Guard, the name of our company. I rose up and 
said yes there were two he would be glad to see. 

Birch Coolie is reckoned among the most severe battles 
of the frontier, indeed I think there were very few others 
where the percentage of loss was greater. The battle lasted 
without a moment's cessation from about 4 o'clock on Tues- 
day morning until 2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, a period 
of 34 hours. The most of the time I was near Capt. Ander- 
son who was wounded six times, but fortunately none were 
very severe. Capt. DeCamp was killed and buried there. 
The wounded were loaded as best they could be into the 
wagons which the relief party brought, but the jolting was 
severe and brought many a groan from the poor fellows. Oui 
return was necessarily slow. 

The woman who had lain in the wagon throughout the 
fight was not in the least injured, although the box looked like 
a sieve and I was told that the buffalo which covered her was 
cut into strings. 

The next morning after my return I was sick and very 
feverish. My hand which was far from being healed was 
enormously swollen and discolored. I reported to Lieut. 
Brown, as Capt. Anderson was in the hospital, and he took 
me to the surgeon who had first dressed it. He remembered 
me and gave me the dickens for neglecting it. I had lost the 
dressing at Birch Coolie and he said I had taken cold in it and 
talked discouragingly about saving it. However, he dressed 
it, and I reported every day until he finally said that I must 
lose the hand. I told father what he said, and he at once 
objected and said that he believed that the hand could be 
saved if I was where I could have proper treatment and diet. 
So the surgeon said that I could have my choice between an 
operation and a discharge. I chose the latter. When the 
discharge came it was in the form of a furlough for the re- 
mainder of my term of enlistment, as Gen. Sibley was not 



authorized to grant a discharge. 

In a few days a train of wagons left Fort Ridgley for St. 
Peters and father and I went there. My clothing consisted 
of a linen coat, a cotton shirt, and a pair of brown denim 
pants, a pair of shoes and an old hat. I had not drawn any 
uniform, so had on the same clothes which I had worn from 
heme except the pants and shoes, which a soldier had given 
me. I had washed the shirt several times but always in the 
creek so it was not the whitest one in the country. At St. 
Peters a* relief society had been formed to assist the refugees 
and there my clothing outfit was somewhat improved. 

Father secured passage on a small river steamer, the Ariel, 
for St. Paul. While waiting for the boat to finish loading I 
wandered through the streets of the town and chanced to meet 
Mr. Enoch Blaisdell whom the old friends of. father and Mr. 
White had despatched to find them and take to them a purse 
of nearly $200 to be divided between them as they should 
decide. Of course this was a big streak of fortune for neither 
of them or at least father, had a cent. You remember that 
Mr. White was away from home at the time of the outbreak. 
We met him at St. Peters. He and father divided the money 
and we started for our old home in Wisconsin where father 
proposed to leave me during my recovery, for even now my 
hand showed signs of improvement. 

The boat soon started. As we could not get meals on 
board, father decided to try to get something to eat at the 
first landing which was Henderson. Father asked the captain 
if there would be time to go to the hotel and get breakfast and 
was told that there would be plenty of time. While we were 
eating the bell rang and the boat left, The river is very 
crooked so there were two chances to cut across country and 
intercept it. To one place it was three miles and to the other, 
Belleplain, eleven miles. It happened that there were two 
teams there, one going to each place, but neither could carry 



us all. 1 have forgotten to say that father had previously left 
Herman at St. Peters and he was now with us. So it was 
arranged that father and Herman went with the team,, to the 
three mile place, and I went to Belleplain. The village is 
more than a mile from the landing and on inquiry I learned 
that the boat would not be down for several hours. So I re- 
mained at the village. They soon learned that I was a refugee 
and seemed to be much interested in my story. But though 
noon came and went no one seemed enough interested in me 
to ask me to dinner and I was not yet ready to beg. 

About one o'clock I thought I would start for the landing, 
and had not gone far when I met a man who told me that the 
boat had already passed. I began to inquire for another 
chance to intercept it and learned that Shakopee, 18 miles 
distant, was the only place. As I was getting this information 
a stage drove up to the hotel and the man said that that was 
my chance, for the stage route was to Shakopee. But I did 
not have a cent and I would not beg a ride. So at about two 
o'clock I pulled off my shoes and, carrying them in my hand, 
my other hand and my stomach empty, I started for Shakopee. 
It was after dark when I reached there but was cheered to 
learn that the Ariel had not yet passed. It was getting quite 
chilly for it was late in September. So I went into a little 
store to get warm. I had not been there long when the store- 
keeper asked me if I was a refugee. I told him I was. He 
asked me if I had had any supper to which I, of course, an- 
swered no at which he handed me twenty-five cents and told 
me to go to the hotel and get something to eat. I never acted 
more willingly in my life and was soon very well supplied in 
that respect. To my surprise as I entered the hotel I encoun- 
tered Dave Carrothers. 

I remained in the hotel and stores until they closed for 
the night, when I, of course, found myself in the street. I 
wandered about for a while always within easy reach of the 



landing until about eleven o'clock when I went to the landing 
and curled myself up on a box and went to sleep. 

About two o'clock a boat came clown and landed and I 
found father on board. He was surprised to see me there, 
but still acted as though lie expected that I would get on 
some way. He told me that the Ariel had grounded in the 
rapids, that this boat had taken off the passengers. Father 
had in some way forgotten my blanket and a little oh: er truck 
and left them on the Ariel. So he gave - me a ticket on that 
boat and told me to wait and go to St. -Paul on it. 

About daylight the Ariel came but did not land although 
I repeatedly hailed her. Now I thought I • was in a boat, for 
without a cent Low could I get passage on any other boat. 
But I resolved to try. 

My clothes, on waking up, were as wet from the heavy 
dew as trough I had been in the river and ! was quite chilly; 
Still I had slept soundly. To warm myself and dry my 
clothes I began running up and down the street and was soon 
comfortable in that respect. About nine o'clock a steamer 
came down the river and landed. 1 went on board and at 
the office asked the clerk if he would take me to St. Paul on 
the Ariel ticket, but I met with a positive refusal 1 was just 
turning away when- a stranger spoke to the clerk and asked 
him to take me for said he, "He's one of the refugees and he's 
all right" Who the man was I do not know, but he" seemed 
to know me, and his request was effectual for the clerk at 
once consented to take me. As this included meals and lodg- 
ing, I was for the time provided for. 

We reached" St Paul the nest morning, After landing 
I walked along until I found the Ariel. ' I went on board- and 
got our truck and then, went up into the town. I had no idea 
as to where father would be, but fortunately soon found him, 

In a day or so more we were back in Pardeeville, whence 



we had started on our fateful journey a little more than four 
months before. Herman and I were provided for and father 
returned to Minnesota to see what could be done for mother, 
Julia and Ella. 

Here my story properly ends but I must tell you something 
of mother's experience. 

It would seem that it was arranged that only women and 
children would be taken prisoners during the first half day of 
the outbreak. After that all settlers were indiscriminately 
killed. The object in taking any prisoners was afterward 
developed. The Indians held them as hostages to prevent 
the advance of troops against them. As soon as Gen. Sibley 
started he received a notice that if he advanced any farther 
they would kill all prisoners. However, Gen. Sibley paid no 
attention to the threat. 

The outbreak was undoubtedly instigated by emissaries 
from the south who told the Indians that all the white men 
had gone to the war in the south and only old men and boys 
remained and so it would be easy for them to regain all their 
old territory. But the Indians had met a sturdy resistance 
every where and now they saw a strong force ready to advance 
against them. They realized that their cause was hopeless. 
Realizing the uselessness of trying to oppose the army, some 
of the Indians were in favor of surrendering the prisoners and 
themselves and securing the best terms possible. This party 
was led by Taope, Little Crow's chief soldier and known as a 
dead shot. But Little Crow remained hostile, anxious to kill 
the prisoners and then flee to Canada. Taope's party grew 
stronger every day until he one day put his gun under his 
blanket and went to Little Crow's tent and demanded the sur- 
render of all the prisoners. Little Crow well knew that to 
refuse meant instant death, so he consented and the prisoners 
were delivered up and conducted to Taope's camp which was 
a little apart from the camp of the hostiles. Taope expected 



to be attacked, so in the middle of every tent a hole was dug 
in the ground large enough and deep enough for all in the 
tent to lie safely sheltered from bullets. 

The next day the hostiles came back to Wood Lake to 
fight the soldiers. Before leaving camp they sent word to 
Taope that they were going back to whip the soldiers and 
when they returned they would kill the friendly Indians and 
prisoners and then go to Canada. I have no doubt that Gen. 
Sibley was acquainted with the state of affairs at the Indian 
camp for when he met and had thoroughly walloped the 
Indians at Wood Lake and had them on the run, he ordered 
the cavalry to pursue them closely and allow them no chance 
to attack Taope. So when the Indians reached the camp 
they were more interested in getting towards Canada than in 
fighting Taope. 

Taope and Lis party surrendered themselves and the pris- 
oners, about seven or eight hundred, to Gen. Sibley. 



V 



H . 107 80 4 



